Cold email template First contact
A partnership intro email that gets a real answer
Use it when another company serves the same customers you do, and one small joint step would help both of you.
The three emails
Written to Marcus Lee, Head of Partnerships at Brightline WMS in Indianapolis, IN. Every name and company here is made up. Text in [brackets] is what you change for each person.
Subject: Brightline customers who still book freight by phone
Hi Marcus,
[Your launch post for the new dock scheduling module mentioned that most customers still book outbound trucks by phone.]
We see the other side of that: Northwind hauls for mid-size warehouses across the Midwest, and many of them run Brightline.
Would it be worth comparing notes on whether a simple booking link from Brightline to Northwind would help those customers?
Jordan EllisNorthwind Logistics
Subject: Re: Brightline customers who still book freight by phone
Hi Marcus,
To make it concrete: [three warehouses we serve in Indianapolis already use Brightline]. I can share the names privately if that helps you gauge the overlap.
Jordan
Subject: Re: Brightline customers who still book freight by phone
Hi Marcus,
I will leave it here. If partnerships like this go through someone else at Brightline, a name would be a big help. Thanks either way.
Jordan
Why it works
- A partner cares about their customers first. The subject line is about those customers.
- It proves overlap with a fact, not a hope.
- The first step is a conversation about one small idea, not a contract.
- Each follow-up adds something useful or makes the exit easy.
The personal line to swap
The opening line. Point to something the partner launched, said or published that shows the problem you both see. A product page, a launch post or a customer story works well.
Specific, true, checkable
- Your case study with Hollis Supply said carrier booking was the slowest step in their day.
- Saw Brightline added an API for shipment events last month.
Could be sent to anyone
- I think there could be great synergies between our companies.
How Reach Crew's Writer personalises it
Give Reach Crew a goal like "partnership leads at warehouse software companies in the Midwest". Scout finds the people who run partnerships, and Writer opens each email with something that company shipped or said, connected to your goal in a sentence or two.
Opening from their public work. Source shown beside the draft.
Hi Marcus,
Your launch post for the new dock scheduling module mentioned that most customers still book outbound trucks by phone.
We see the other side of that: Northwind hauls for mid-size warehouses across the Midwest, and many of them run Brightline.
Would it be worth comparing notes on whether a simple booking link from Brightline to Northwind would help those customers?
Jordan Ellis
Related templates and terms
- An agency pitch email that is about their business
- A first cold email to a VP of Procurement
- A referral request email that is easy to say yes to
Glossary:Ideal customer profilePersonalizationDecision maker